Hagop Kantarjian, MD, has been named the recipient of the 2023 David A. Karnofsky Memorial Award by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in recognition of his practice-changing clinical-translational research in leukemia.
This award is the society's "highest scientific honor, and I am extremely happy and honored to receive it," Kantarjian commented in an interview with Medscape Medical News.
Kantarjian serves as the chair of the Department of Leukemia and currently holds the Samsung Distinguished University Chair in Cancer Medicine at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
"No doubt that this is not an individual award. It represents an award for the accomplishments of all the leukemia faculty at MD Anderson across four decades. It's really a teamwork effort that led to so many discoveries and improvements in treatment and care of patients with leukemia," he commented.
The David A. Karnofsky Memorial Award has been presented annually since 1970 to recognize oncologists who have made outstanding contributions to cancer research, diagnosis, or treatment, ASCO noted.
From Lebanon to Texas
Kantarjian received his medical degree from the American University of Beirut, in Lebanon, in 1979 and completed his residency in internal medicine at the same institution in 1981.
It was his experience at MD Anderson as a young medical student and later as a fellow that fueled his interest and career in leukemia, he said.
"In 1978, I took a 4-month elective at MD Anderson, and I soon realized how different and innovative the atmosphere at MD Anderson was compared to where I was training in Lebanon," Kantarjian told Medscape Medical News.
This award is the society's "highest scientific honor, and I am extremely happy and honored to receive it," Kantarjian commented in an interview with Medscape Medical News.
Kantarjian serves as the chair of the Department of Leukemia and currently holds the Samsung Distinguished University Chair in Cancer Medicine at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
"No doubt that this is not an individual award. It represents an award for the accomplishments of all the leukemia faculty at MD Anderson across four decades. It's really a teamwork effort that led to so many discoveries and improvements in treatment and care of patients with leukemia," he commented.
The David A. Karnofsky Memorial Award has been presented annually since 1970 to recognize oncologists who have made outstanding contributions to cancer research, diagnosis, or treatment, ASCO noted.
From Lebanon to Texas
Kantarjian received his medical degree from the American University of Beirut, in Lebanon, in 1979 and completed his residency in internal medicine at the same institution in 1981.
It was his experience at MD Anderson as a young medical student and later as a fellow that fueled his interest and career in leukemia, he said.
"In 1978, I took a 4-month elective at MD Anderson, and I soon realized how different and innovative the atmosphere at MD Anderson was compared to where I was training in Lebanon," Kantarjian told Medscape Medical News.
